COPickyEats Colorado Springs restaurants

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

I have lost my appetite.




This is the view on Saturday when my husband and I drove back from the Castle Rock area. My heart was in my throat wondering what was going on in our town. I couldn't believe my eyes that a huge fire broke out in Waldo Canyon. And today the situation does not seem to be getting better which is just sickening. Our hearts are saddened by this
natural disaster and this fire affects a lot of our loved ones. Our prayers and thoughts are with those evacuees, firefighters and volunteers!!!



You can donate to help Waldo Canyon effort to the following charities:

(Once there, please specify Waldo Canyon Fire / Disaster Relief on the donation form.)

(Although the website states "Hyde Park Fire," their names and contact information will be referenced for the Waldo Canyon fire.)

  www.rmhcare.org

(Donate items needed:  towels, shampoo, soap and food )








Wednesday, June 13, 2012

My "Go To" Restaurant- Saltgrass




There is nothing more important in life then finding a darn good steak house in town! For years my husband and I were like the rest of Colorado Springs waiting 1-2 hours for a table at Texas Roadhouse thinking their cuts of meat are awesome (I do love their prime rib). But, little did I know there was another chain steakhouse in town that was going to blow my mind. Saltgrass!




This restaurant is quieter then Texas roadhouse, the atmosphere lacks the littered peanut shells on the floor or being pushed up against the wall waiting for a table. Yet, they still have the TVs on the wall on some random sports channel and they have a wide variety of adult beverages one of my favorites is the spiked sweet tea.
Saltgrass is my "go to" restaurant if I can’t think of somewhere new to go then I go to Saltgrass because  I am always going to be extremely satisfied with my meal. It is a chain restaurant owned by Landry's Inc. which owns restaurants, gaming and etc. Of course I am a Landry's select club member (Oh I sound like I am special) you pay $25 to get the membership and then your next meal you get $25 off; so if you go here often the card offers opportunity to gain points to receive discounts on your meals. Just so you know it is not just I who thinks these steaks are great. Now if you go to the Saltgrass website you will see numerous awards on the site; specifically first place, best food at the Taste (A Taste of Colorado).

My husband and I often go to Saltgrass for lunch and dinner so I have highlighted what we ate over a few visits at this restaurant once for lunch and twice for dinner.


Super sweet tea!




Like any good Texas steak house it offers a sweet tea which is so sugary it will rot your teeth...just the way I like it. Then each table is served a warm perfectly round loaf of their Shiner Bock beer bread with butter. Delicious!!!




For an appetizer we usually order the chuck wagon cheese fries which is a plate piled high fried potatoes that are topped with gooey melted jack and cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream & chives. I usually 86 the chives and get the bacon on the side. My husband loves bacon but I don’t eat cute little piggies. But my favorite appetizer of all would have to be the fried mushrooms which I choose to have with the dill ranch. These little morsels are perfectly zesty, crispy on the outside and juicy & tender on the inside. The mushrooms are simple delectable! But be careful these suckers can be stove hot so don’t burn your tongue, you are going to need it for the main course.







Then I order a house salad with the dill ranch, shredded cheddar cheese, tomato, croutons and I add red onions. I love the salads because of the creamy dill ranch which tastes homemade and the perfectly buttery crotons.




For lunch I ordered the chicken fried chicken and my husband ordered the chicken fried steak. You can tell we were both on diets that day (joking).



My husband’s chicken fried steak was huge (Texas style everything is bigger) but it doesn’t always mean better. I believe the chicken was more scrumptious then the steak. Both the fried chicken and fried steak had a crispy lightly fried layer but the chicken was much more juicy and delicious taste then the steak. My husband ordered his meal with a basic baked potato with butter and I opted for the garlic mashed potatoes drowning in the white gravy.



Now to the really good stuff…DINNER!





I order the Maudeen’s center cut filet which is a tender, juicy, succulent 6oz or 9oz filet that is topped with garlic butter and onion straws. My husband usually orders the grilled gulf shrimp with his filet and I will order the cognac pepper sauce but not the pepper crusted. Also we go all out and order the sautéed mushrooms to top the filet. Now this steak would be perfectly delicious solo, but if you add the sauce and mushrooms your taste buds will go into overload. This steak is luscious... and never have my filets been fatty or chewy like so many other steak houses but always perfection. This filet is mouthwateringly delicious.


The rich and decadent cognac pepper sauce.






I order the mac and cheese with my steak showing off my refined palate. The mac and cheese is dripping in cheddar and smoked Gouda cheese which is rich and I enjoy the smoked flavor thats adds a nice twist to a classic side dish. I find the cheesy, ooey, gooey, smoky-ness of this side dish to be sublime.




My husband for dinner ordered the grilled chicken breast & gulf shrimp combo that is a moist marinated grilled chicken breast and grilled marinated gulf shrimp with a melted butter to dip those suckers in. My husband always goes on and on how fresh the shrimp are but I am too much of a picky eater to try seafood. Of course my husband ordered the baked potato which was dripping with an overload of melting butter.


 


But there is more….we ended up coming back another night and tried the beef ravioli, something different. The ravioli is simply exquisite; it is made with tender slow roasted beef ravioli topped with sautéed mushrooms & sun dries tomatoes that add a bit of tanginess to the savory taste of the creamy cognac sauce. This is pasta bliss!


Oh now I have to go back after wiriting this....I am drooling! Saltgrass is my go to restaurant when I want a good steak or good meal!



Saltgrass Steakhouse on Urbanspoon